2009 Fellows

Ajay Bam, Product Manager, Nokia

Ajay is the Product Manager for mobile commerce for Nokia (the leading provider of mobile handsets) globally, where he is transforming, evangelizing and shaping the future of mobile payments. Ajay is also currently a fellow at the Boston Cares Civic Leadership Institute. Previously Ajay co-founded MobileLime (now Modiv Media), a venture capital funded company that provides in-store media delivery and self service check out solutions to retailers and merchants.

Sarah Emond, Principal, SKE Communications

Sarah has nearly a decade of experience in the business of healthcare as a communications professional in the biopharmaceutical industry. Currently, she is a Principal at SKE Communications, a communications and health policy consultancy, where she provides strategic communications counsel and legislative and literature research support to clients in the life sciences and health care policy industries. Previously, she was the Manager of Corporate Communications at Oscient Pharmaceuticals, a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company. Sarah is an elected member of the Watertown Democratic Town Committee and an active member of the Smith College Club of Cambridge. In May of 2009, she will complete her studies in the Master of Public Policy program at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandies University with a concentration in health policy. Sarah also holds an undergraduate degree from Smith College in biological sciences.

Originally from Long Island, Kristen is a Boston-transplant circa 2006. Having worked previously as a Senior Account Executive for the New York public relations firm Public Strategy Group, Kristen relocated to Boston and currently serves as Legislative Aide to Chairman John J. Binienda in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Beyond her professional life, Kristen has a passion for politics. She currently serves as the Public Policy Director for the Massachusetts YoungDems and is one of the founding members of Generation Progress, a non-profit fundraising organization committed to electing young Democrats to public office. A proud North Ender, Kristen serves as a member of the Mayor's Advisory Council and is an active member of the North End Music & Performing Arts Center. In her free time, you will find Kristen scouting out Boston's latest and greatest for Glamour magazine.

Dan Cruz, Legislative Aide, Representative Peter Koutoujian

Daniel Cruz has served as Senior Legislative Aide to State Representative Peter Koutoujian since fall of 2007. Prior to starting his current position in public service, Daniel has worked in healthcare business operations at two leading Harvard University Medical School teaching hospitals, Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Additionally, he has volunteered on several state political campaigns. Daniel is currently completing his undergraduate degree in political science at Northeastern University and is looking forward to being a fellow on the New Leaders Council, Boston Chapter.

Jaime-Alexis Fowler, Editor, Pathfinder International

Jaime-Alexis is in her second year as Pathfinder International's web content editor. An ardent supporter of women's rights, Jaime-Alexis was struck by the dire health needs of women while working with Kenyan micro-lending organizations in 2002. Since then, Jaime-Alexis has actively promoted accessible health care in the US and the developing world. At Pathfinder, Jaime-Alexis oversees online strategy, design, and language to increase Pathfinder's web presence. She also contributes to Pathfinder's overall communications needs ranging from advocacy to fundraising and is a lead writer for Pathfinder publications including last year's book, Courageous Pioneers. In addition to her work at Pathfinder, Jaime-Alexis is deeply passionate about domestic politics; frequently volunteering for campaigns. Since 2006, she has run three marathons and raised more than $25,000 for stroke and cystic fibrosis research. She holds a Masters degree in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and is a graduate of Vassar College.

Sandi Fox, Communications Manager, State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance

Sandi plans on dedicating her career to public service and the public good through government and non-profit work. She currently serves on several non-profit boards and committees in her free time and is the Membership Outreach Director for the Young Democrats of Massachusetts. Over the past 2 years she has been working to support both small business and minority & woman-owned businesses as they navigated the revolutionary Health Care Reform Act and the current economic crisis. In 2006, she served as the volunteer coordinator for Timothy P. Murray's campaign for Lt. Governor and ultimately the Patrick/Murray '06 ticket. She is a strong proponent of equal rights and reproductive freedom and has volunteered and interned for organizations and leaders like NARAL Pro-Choice NY & MA, Planned Parenthood, EMILY's List, MassEquality, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, etc. Ms. Fox has her Bachelors degree in Government & International Relations and her Masters in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management from Clark University in Worcester, MA. She is extremely excited to be part of the first Boston NLC Fellowship Class and is originally from Rockland County, NY.

Luke Fuszard, Graduate Student, Harvard Business School, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government

Luke is originally from the frozen tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin where he has lived the American Dream. Months after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Humanities, he became engaged to his high school sweetheart. His first job out of school was as a volunteer for Senator Russ Feingold's 2004 reelection campaign. Growing up in Wisconsin, he has exposed to a long and rich history of progressivism, and this influenced my political outlook. Shortly after the campaign victoriously finished he accepted a position with the Fortune 100 company Cisco Systems where he worked for two years as a salesperson. After his time at Cisco he was accepted to Harvard Business School where he began schooling in August of 2007. Thereafter he applied to the Harvard Kennedy School where he now is pursuing a joint masters degree.

Daniel Glasser, Legislative Aide, State Representative Carl Sciortino

Daniel got his start in politics in the summer of 2005 as a volunteer and later press secretary for the Pat Jehlen for State Senate campaign. He spent the next year as an associate at Connection Strategies, a political consulting and polling firm working with progressive candidates throughout Massachusetts. After the 2006 elections, Daniel moved into the Massachusetts State House where he has since served as legislative aide to State Representative Carl Sciortino. Daniel has volunteered for numerous progressive candidates in Massachusetts including those for Governor, Congress, State Senator and Representative, and municipal offices.

Brendan Greally, Chief Legal Counsel, Joint Committee on Revenue

Brendan is entering his second year as Legal Counsel to the Committee on Revenue where he works diligently to ensure sound tax law and policy for Massachusetts. He is a proud graduate of Boston Latin School, The University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Suffolk University Law School. Upon graduating from Suffolk Law in 2006, he attended Lund University in Sweden where he received his L.L.M. in International and European Union Law. After living in Galway, Ireland until he was ten years old he moved to Roslindale where he became an active member of the community, helping to found a nationally recognized Crimewatch, organize neighborhood beautification competitions and host several, now legendary, Poplar Street Block Parties. In his professional life, he worked as a Field Operations Supervisor for the U.S Census Bureau during the 2000 Census, supervising one hundred and sixty crew leaders and census takers, ensuring an accurate count for the Boston neighborhoods of Roslindale, West Roxbury and Hyde Park. While attending law school, he worked as a law clerk for his alma mater at the Office of the General Counsel of University of Massachusetts. When Brendan finds spare time, he enjoys training for and running marathons to raise money for charity, travels to random places around the globe, and is an avid poker player that you do not want to run into at the final table of a Texas hold'em tournament!

Conor Kennedy, Law Student, Havard Law

Conor Kennedy grew up on Long Island, and he still enjoys going back to New York to see friends and family in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. As a student, Conor lived in Washington, D.C. and in Providence, Rhode Island, and he currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since graduating from Brown University with a degree in Political Science, Conor has worked as a teacher and a legal intern, and he now studies law. His professional interests include education, technology, intellectual property, and civil liberties.Conor is an enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama, and he spent much of his free time over the last year and a half as an organizer with HLS for Obama and a campaign field worker in New Hampshire. His dream is to play "Knockout Lightening", "21", or "H-O-R-S-E" on the future White House basketball court

Carl Lowenberg, Mentor, Urban Ecology Institute

Carl grew up in Iowa, California, Vermont, and Massachusetts, and then moved to Connecticut to study International Government at Wesleyan University. He spent a year studying in Chile and Brazil and had the chance to visit deserts, rainforests, and other South American natural wonders. At Wesleyan, Carl helped create the student-run Long Lane Farm, which raised organic vegetables and awareness about environment-friendly farming practices. Before moving to Boston, Carl spent time living in the woods and teaching outdoor environmental education at Nature's Classroom. He continued working with youth at the Urban Ecology Institute, where he trained Boston teenagers as mentors and science teachers for younger students and placed them in internships at after-school programs. He is interested in helping to launch the Green Collar Jobs movement as a way to solve many of our economic and environmental problems at once. He's looking forward to a great NLC fellowship program.

Rachel O’h-Uiginn, Program Coordiantor, WorldBoston

Rachel was born and raised in the Boston area, she has always been a strong advocate for civic engagement and personal development. She graduated with highest honors from Suffolk University, majoring in International Affairs and Philosophy. While at Suffolk, she worked at Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's Boston office as senior aid to the immigration specialist. Upon graduation, Rachel worked as Program Coordinator for WorldBoston, the World Affairs Council for the area. Here, she organized over 100 public events & programs with distinguished domestic & world leaders, thinkers and innovators. She has developed numerous programs designed to engage and connect peers to help them grow professionally and personally. Currently, she is a fellow of Boston Care's Civic Leadership Institute, working on a project to help small non-profits develop their fundraising practices. Outside work, Rachel is an avid traveler, lover of music, a cook, and reader of a variety of topics.

Robert Orthman, Law Student, Suffolk University Law School

Robert is a second-year law student at Suffolk University Law School. Prior to entering law school, Orthman served for three years as a legislative aide to Boston City Councilor John M. Tobin, Jr. In that position, he represented the office at community meetings, worked on proposed ordinances and legislation, and facilitated the delivery of city services to constituents. Robert has experience interning for Congressman Stephen F. Lynch, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, and the State Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and volunteered on Senator John Kerry's Iowa Caucus victory during the 2004 presidential campaign. Growing up in the Boston neighborhood of West Roxbury, Robert is a proud graduate of Boston Latin School and Boston College, with a degree in political science. A resident of Somerville, he is an avid and obsessive fan of all Boston professional sports teams, shares season tickets to the Celtics, and will always respect Manny Ramirez even if he left town on bad terms.

Jason Poulos, Research Intern, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

Jason graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in May 2008 with a B.A. in Economics. At UMass, he was involved in student government, tutored at-risk elementary school children, and became interested in egalitarian economic policy while working at the Political Economy Research Institute. After graduation, he worked as a research intern at the economic development division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. A politics junkie, Jason is a member of the Sherborn Democratic Town Committee and served as a youth delegate to the 2008 Democratic State Convention. He is a nationally-ranked powerlifter and is currently training for local strongman competitions.

Jonathan Sclarsic, Attorney, Goodwin Procter

Johnathan is an attorney at the Boston law firm Goodwin Procter. He graduated from Cornell Law School in 2008 and from Brandeis University in 2003. At Cornell he was the Executive Editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. He has worked on a number of state and federal political campaigns, holding positions from field organizer to campaign manger. He worked on the Howard Dean for President campaign from 2003-2004, and then for MoveOn.org in 2004. He has been involved with the Young Democrats of Massachusetts on and off for ten years, and am currently the Vice Chair of Administration and Finance. He loves to play guitar and sing, see every Red Sox game, watch the Simpsons at night until falling asleep.

Paul Sousa, Student, Northeastern University

Paul is the founder of EQUAL REP, a Boston based organization that focuses on rapid online mobilization to lobby for the appointment or election of specific politicians. He is also the incorporator and co-chair of the non-profit 401(c)4 organization, Join The Impact MA. Paul is a senior undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in mechanical engineering technology and double minoring in business administration and law, policy, and society. He has a passion for law and politics and will be subsequently attending law school in the fall of 2009. Paul has worked a variety of jobs from packaging engineer at Gillette to operations associate/medical transcriber at MGH and most recently becoming a "community organizer". Paul is also heavily involved in local politics from being the Diversity Officer of Cambridge Ward 1 Committee to being on 2 state Democratic party sub-committees.

Daniel Sullivan, Chief of Staff, Dean of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Daniel Sullivan serves as Chief of Staff to the Dean of the MA House of Representatives and is in the Leadership for Change program at Boston College. His academic background is in government, international affairs and health and human rights. Dan serves as Chair of the Young Professionals for International Cooperation group of the UN Association of Greater Boston and is a Senior Fellow of the Environmental Leadership program. A Kentucky Colonel and Ordained Minister, Dan loves to fish, water-ski, throw horseshoes and work on his novel. His aspiration for the New Leaders Council is to ensure it is the premier fellowship of valiant young leaders triumphant in a vigorous pursuit to realize the great principles of that indelible American spirit of opportunity, equality and ingenuity in the cause of life, liberty and the constant pursuit of happiness and progress for humanity. Let us begin.

Mike Valanzola, Selectman, Town of Wales/ Financial Analyst, EMC

Mike graduated from Emmanuel with a B.A. in Political Science and English Communications. In 1997, Mike joined the ranks of Charter Communications and began hosting his own program on Local Access Channel 17, seen in the communities of Brimfield & Wales. After 5 years on Local Access, Mike went on to serve for three years in local government with the approval of town council, because he was not old enough to vote. After graduating college Mike was elected to the Wales Board of Selectman In his short time on the board Mike has worked to re-organize the central filing system for the Town Office, worked to create a town website for the citizens of the community, and is presently working on a full energy audit of all town facilities. In addition to the Select-Board Mike serves full time as a Financial Analyst at Hopkinton based EMC Corporation.